Pacific islanders got a double whammy of Stone Age DNA

Melanesians only people known to inherit substantial DNA from both Neandertals, Denisovans

HYBRID PAST New research finds that present-day Melanesians, like this girl, have inherited substantial amounts of DNA from both Neandertals and Denisovans. That ancient DNA may be involved in important biological functions, such as metabolism and immunity.

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Modern-day Melanesians carry a two-pronged genetic legacy of ancient interbreeding that still affects their health and well-being, researchers say.

Unlike people elsewhere in the world, these Pacific islanders possess nuclear DNA that they inherited from two Stone Age hominid populations, say population geneticist Benjamin Vernot, formerly of the University of Washington in Seattle, and his colleagues. At least some of that ancient DNA contains genes involved in important biological functions, the researchers find. Nuclear DNA is passed from both parents to their children.